Affordable Membership Sailing with SailTime Poole
Enjoy affordable and hassle-free sailing on the stunning Dorset coastline!
Become a member of SailTime Poole and enjoy a completely new way to sail in Dorset. Based in beautiful Poole Harbour, you can enjoy a minimum of 42 days sailing a year for less than the cost of a marina berth. We achieve this because we enable a boat to be used by up to 8 members. We provide the infrastructure to enable this to happen and maintain the boats in top condition – all you do is sail.
Welcome to SailTime Poole
Truly flexible sailing
My name is John Bostock and I am the owner of SailTime Dorset. I grew up in Poole and learnt to sail there as a boy. After many years of living in London I have returned to my hometown to start SailTime in Dorset. I believe that this type of Club is a really great way to gain access to otherwise expensive sports and hobbies at a significantly reduced cost. I have been a member of a similar scheme for cars for a number of years and felt that there must be a way to make this work for boats. Then I discovered that SailTime had already found out how to do it, so I jumped at the chance to bring the idea to Dorset.
I am an enthusiastic sailor and hold commerically endorsed Yachtmaster Offshore tickets for Sail and Power. I am really looking forward to helping new members achieve their dreams on the water, whether that is simply enjoying the wonderful local area by sea, going somewhat farther afield or gaining more advanced RYA qualifications.
Base Information & Events
Weekend Open Day - Saturday 3rd October
Join us on our next Open Day. Explore the SailTime Poole fleet and discover what Poole Harbour and the local sailing area has to offer on Saturday 3rd October. Please email us or phone with your estimated time of arrival to make an appointment.
SailTime Poole has a comprehensive programme of events for members which includes the Round The Island Race, organised channel crossings and rallies and social events.
The boats are available for viewing throughout the year - please call John Bostock on 07977 426982 to arrange a convenient time.
Base Information
Dorset has a truly stunning coastline - in fact, the 95 miles of coast west from Poole has been designated England’s first natural World Heritage Site. Poole Harbour is the second largest natural harbour in the world and is a beautiful place from which to sail. Poole has been a major port for hundreds of years and its boating heritage is evident all around. With numerous yacht clubs, several large marinas and an active and busy Town Quay it is a major centre for recreational sailors and power-boaters. SailTime Poole will commence operations in Spring 2008 and will be based at the award-winning Salterns Marina in Lilliput. This is a great location which has excellent facilities, is close to the harbour entrance by boat as well as the golden sandy beaches at Sandbanks.
The initial fleet will comprise two of the new design Beneteau Oceanis sailing yachts and two brand motor boats. The harbour itself offers sheltered sailing with some wonderful places to anchor. Outside the harbour entrance, members of SailTime Poole will be able to enjoy the magnificent Dorset coastline with numerous sheltered anchorages such as Studland Bay, Swanage and Lulworth Cove.
From the harbour entrance it is less than 30nm to both Cowes and Weymouth – easily within reach for day sailing and about an hour or so away for the power-boaters. Places like Christchurch and Lymington are even closer to visit. And for the more experienced sailors, Poole is an ideal base from which to explore places farther afield.
From the SailTime Poole base it is around 10 minutes drive to the centre of Poole and the historic Quay with its many pubs and restaurants. The centre of Bournemouth is 15 minutes by car and the Isle of Purbeck is just across the chain-ferry at the harbour entrance. Closer to hand, the terrace and gardens of the Harbourside Hotel in the marina complex is a great place to relax at the end of a day on the water. In addition, there is a local supermarket and shops just 2 minutes walk from the marina.
Training
All new members at SailTime Poole will benefit from a two-day induction programme to ensure that they are familiar with their boat and the local area before heading off on their own.
In order to skipper a SailTime boat, our members need to hold the RYA Day Skipper Tidal qualification (practical and theory). This is the minimum level that you need to skipper a sailing yacht or motorboat safely in local waters. If you do not already have the Day Skipper ticket we can help you to achieve this whilst learning on your own SailTime boat.
We also have a comprehensive programme of additional training available with highly qualified RYA instructors – you decide how far you want to go – we can help you right up to Yachtmaster level.
Places to Go
Poole Harbour
The second largest natural harbour in the world and the largest in Europe, Poole Harbour is considered by many to be among the finest. It can be entered day or night and at all states of the tide. Much of the area is shoal, but there is still plenty of deep water for ships and yachts in great numbers. Its north side incorporates several modern marinas in close proximity to a multitude of shops and restaurants, while its south side boasts tranquil anchorages set within unspoilt nature reserves. On Poole Quay, with its excellent choice of bars and restaurants, there are several places of interest, including the well known Poole Pottery and Waterfront Museum in Old High Street.
www.pooletourism.com/
Lymington - SailTime Base
The very attractive Georgian market town of Lymington lies at the western end of The Solent, just 3 miles from the Needles Channel. Besides the numerous attractions and activities to be found in the town itself, Lymington also benefits from having the recently designated National Park status of the New Forest, with its wild ponies, wonderful walks and picturesque scenery, on its doorstep.
www.yachthavens.com/yachthaven
Christchurch
Once an important commercial port and now silted up, Christchurch Harbour remains an interesting and surprisingly beautiful place to visit, if your draught permits. The town has many facilities and the environment of the harbour is surprisingly unspoilt. Here you will find a salt marsh, reefs, dunes and woodland, and the river winding up to the confluence of the Stour and the Avon at Christchurch Quay.
www.christchurch.co.uk/
